It's the subject of nutritionist Joy Bauer's new cookbook, "Joy's Simple Food Remedies."
Looking to win the battle of the bulge? There are five foods that can help you cut belly fat, according to nutritionist Joy Bauer.
Noami Saxe and John Genovesi have had trouble shedding their own body fat, and are looking for help.
"People asked me if I was pregnant because my belly is big, and it was a very upsetting question," Saxe told Inside Edition.
"I felt like I was carrying like a weight around with me, like a bowling ball or something,” Genovesi added.
Belly fat is not only unsightly — it can also be really unhealthy, according to Bauer, author of the new book "Joy's Simple Food Remedies."
“It's called visceral fat and it's wrapped around your organs. It increases inflammation, and it puts you at higher risk for things like metabolic syndrome, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, so it's really important that everybody works to trim their middle,” Bauer told Inside Edition.
She put Saxe and Genovesi on a diet designed to reduce bulging midsections.
The first thing on the menu was salmon.
“It's busting with protein,” Bauer said. “It's also one of the richest food sources of vitamin D, and vitamin D can help signal belly fat cells to burn off."
Everyone knows that broccoli is good for you, but it has an added benefit.
“Broccoli's one of the few vegetables that also has a nice amount of calcium, and calcium can help target belly fat,” Bauer said.
Greek yogurt is another great choice.
"It provides probiotics to the body, which increases the good bacteria in the gut, which can also play a big part in reducing belly fat," she added.
The final two foods were artichokes and onions, which are prebiotics.
“Prebiotics feed the probiotics, which helps promote a healthy weight and a healthy midsection,” Bauer said.
After five weeks on Bauer's diet, Genovesi and Saxe saw significant improvement.
Saxe dropped from a 40-inch waist to 35 inches.
Genovesi started off with a 44-inch waist and is now down to 40 inches.
Read excerpts from "Joy's Simple Food Remedies" below:
Reduce Belly Fat With These 5 Foods
Cut belly fat by adding foods to your diet? That’s right! Joy Bauer reveals which foods can help trim your mid-section and protect against a variety of diseases associated with uncomfortable and dangerous abdominal fat, including cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Check out her five scientifically proven picks, and two delicious ways to prepare them, straight from her new book, Joy’s Simple Food Remedies.
Salmon
Salmon is loaded with protein, which is more satiating than carbs or fat. Increasing your intake will help you feel more satisfied and could help you eat less overall. The stellar swimmer can specifically help burn belly fat because it’s one of the richest sources of vitamin D; vitamin D is directly involved with producing hormones that regulate appetite. Not to mention, consuming enough of the vitamin (recommended intake is 600 IU daily) reduces the likelihood you’ll overeat. Also, several studies have shown vitamin D is involved with signaling belly fat cells to burn off.
Greek Yogurt
Yogurt, particularly low-fat Greek yogurt, contains satiating protein—about twice as much as traditional yogurt, which can keep you feeling fuller longer and help control your appetite. That can translate to less belly fat. Yogurt is also rich in calcium, which has been linked to lower levels of abdominal fat. Of course, all the nutrients in food work synergistically, but calcium has been singled out for a few reasons: Experts believe it may help to increase fat burn, reduce fat absorption, and slightly rev metabolism. And finally, yogurt contains probiotics, the beneficial bacteria that help with digestion, and may also promote a healthy weight and middle, according to a study in Nutrition and Metabolism.
Broccoli
One study has shown a relationship between people who consume ample amounts of deep-colored veggies (green, yellow, orange) and lower levels of visceral fat, the dangerous fat around your organs. I specifically chose to focus on broccoli because it’s one of the few veggies that contain calcium, which has been shown to increase fat loss, especially around the abdominal area.
Artichokes
While yogurt has probiotics, artichokes are prebiotics. And prebiotics feed probiotics so they can do their job. This creates a gut filled with good bacteria, which is so important when it comes to belly fat because the combination helps to play interference with fat storage as well as reducing inflammation. Artichoke and artichoke hearts are both terrific. A cup delivers 9 impressive grams of fiber.
Onions
Onions contain a type of soluble fiber called inulin, which acts as a prebiotic, just like artichokes. This is important for good gut health and, according to preliminary studies, may also help facilitate weight loss in the abdominal area. Leeks, shallots, and scallions are part of the onion family and contain the same beneficial compounds as well.
Click here to try Joy’s Creamy Broccoli Soup.
Click here to try Joy’s Roasted Broccoli-Artichoke Dip.
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